© www.pkfotografie.com, Philipp Kirschner

The most valuable artworks in the world

Methodology and Data

Methodology

Leipzig is a city of creatives, and a home to world-class art and music. And we couldn’t help but wonder: how much do the most valuable artworks cost? Which living artist has the highest value work – and what’s the most expensive painting of all time?

And so, we set out to find and rank the most valuable artworks in the world – from oil on canvas classics, to sculptures, all the way up to digital art and NFTs.

How we did it

We found multiple resources on art sales: theartwolf.com, artincontext.org and Wikipedia. However, many of these sources were incomplete, out of date, or just difficult to use. We created an aggregated list using combined data from MutualArt, Artnet, Wikipedia – plus auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s – to create the most complete list of ultra-valuable artworks in the world.
We also researched potential buyers through news websites, and filled several holes in each data set.
Sale prices have been adjusted for inflation (using an inflation calculator where no data was available), to give an indication of current value, and how much the work may command in a future sale.
The list also features sculptures and NFTs, which are not present in other lists, as well as living artists – including Leipzig’s own Neo Rauch.
Data was painstakingly sorted, refined, normalised and fact-checked. Links to the highest possible resolution images were sourced, with additional information wherever possible, to give art fans (and the curious) the full picture.
Date of data research: November 2023.

Data

Art around the world - German Artists

Artwork Artist Medium Year completed Initial value (millions) Inflation adjusted (millions) Increase in value
Darmstadt Madonna Hans Holbein Oil on wood 1526 $75,00 98,00 30,67
Domplatz, Mailand Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1968 $37,10 $41,11 10,81
Abstraktes Bild (809-4) Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1994 $34,20 $38,16 11,58
Platz (Square) Neo Rauch Oil on canvas 2000 $1,80 $2,32 28,89

Living artists

Artwork Artist Medium Year completed Initial value (millions) Inflation adjusted (millions) Increase in value
Flag Jasper Johns Oil and collage on fabric and plywood 1958 $110,00 $147,60 34,18
False Start Jasper Johns Colour lithograph, paper 1959 $80,00 $116,10 45,13
Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) David Hockney Acrylic on canvas 1972 $90,30 $105,20 16,50
Rabbit Jeff Koons Stainless steel 1986 $91,10 $104,00 14,16
Merge Pak Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $91,80 $103,56 12,81
Everydays: the First 5000 Days Beeple Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $69,30 $78,40 13,13
Balloon Dog (Orange) Jeff Koons Glazed porcelain 1994-2000 $58,40 $73,00 25,00
The Journey of Humanity Sacha Jafri Oil on canvas 2020 $62,00 $62,00 0,00
Tulips Jeff Koons Stainless steel 1995-2004 $33,70 $43,00 27,60
Jim Beam J.b. Turner Train Jeff Koons Stainless steel and bourbon 1986 $33,80 $41,80 23,67
Domplatz, Mailand Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1968 $37,10 $41,11 10,81
Abstraktes Bild (809-4) Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1994 $34,20 $38,16 11,58
Popeye Jeff Koons Stainless steel 2011 $28,20 $34,90 23,76
Human One Beeple Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $28,99 $32,80 13,14
Hanging Heart (Magenta/Gold) Jeff Koons Stainless steel sculpture 1994 $23,60 $28,98 22,80
Love is in the Bin Banksy Spray Paint and acrylic, canvas on cardboard 2018 $23,67 $26,70 12,80
Lullaby Spring Damien Hirst Stainless steel and glass 2002 $19,30 $23,91 23,89
Platz (Square) Neo Rauch Oil on canvas 2000 $1,80 $2,32 28,89
Girl with Balloon Banksy Spray Paint and acrylic, canvas on cardboard 2006 $1,33 $1,62 21,80

All Artists

Artwork Artist Medium Year completed Initial value (millions) Inflation adjusted (millions) Increase in value
Salvator Mundi Leonardo da Vinci Oil on walnut panel ca. 1500 $450,30 $537,60 19,39
Interchange Willem de Kooning Oil on canvas 1955 $300,00 $370,00 23,33
The Card Players Paul Cézanne Oil on canvas 1893 $250,00 $325,00 30,00
Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) Paul Gauguin Oil on canvas 1892 $210,00 $259,00 23,33
Number 17A Jackson Pollock Oil on fibreboard 1948 $200,00 $247,00 23,50
Wasserschlangen II Gustav Klimt Oil on canvas 1904–07 $183,80 $230,90 25,63
No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1951 $186,00 $230,00 23,66
Coppit Rembrandt Oil on canvas 1634 $180,00 $222,00 23,33
Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1955 $179,40 $221,40 23,41
The Standard Bearer Rembrandt Oil on canvas 1636 $198,00 $222,00 23,33
Nu couché Amedeo Modigliani Oil on canvas 1917/18 $170,40 $210,40 23,47
No. 5, 1948 Jackson Pollock Oil on fibreboard 1948 $140,00 $203,20 45,14
Woman III Willem de Kooning Oil on canvas 1953 $137,50 $199,60 45,16
Masterpiece Roy Lichtenstein Acrylic and oil on canvas 1962 $165,00 $197,00 19,39
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I Gustav Klimt Oil and gold leaf on canvas 1907 $135,00 $196,00 45,19
Shot Sage Blue Marilyn Andy Warhol Silkscreen on canvas 1964 $195,00 $195,00 0,00
Le Rêve Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1932 $155,00 $194,70 25,61
Portrait of Dr. Gachet Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1880 $82,50 $184,80 124,00
Nu couché (sur le côté gauche) Amedeo Modigliani Oil on canvas 1917 $157,20 $183,20 16,54
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II Gustav Klimt Oil on canvas 1912 $150,00 $182,90 21,93
Three Studies of Lucian Freud Francis Bacon Oil on canvas 1969 $142,40 $178,90 25,63
Bal du moulin de la Galette Pierre-Auguste Renoir Oil on canvas 1876 $78,10 $174,90 123,94
L'Homme au doigt Alberto Giacometti Bronze 1947 $141,30 $174,40 23,43
Twelve Landscape Screens Qi Baishi Ink on paper 1925 $140,80 $168,10 19,39
Garçon à la pipe Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1905 $104,20 $161,40 54,89
Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version) Georges Seurat Oil on canvas 1888 $149,20 $161,20 8,04
The Scream Edvard Munch Oil, tempera, pastel and crayon on cardboard 1895 $119,90 $152,90 27,52
Otahi Paul Gauguin Oil on canvas 1893 $120,00 $150,80 25,67
Reclining Nude With Blue Cushion Amedeo Modigliani Oil on canvas 1916 $118,00 $150,00 27,12
La Montagne Sainte-Victoire Paul Cezanne Oil on canvas 1888-90 $137,70 $149,00 8,21
Flag Jasper Johns Oil and collage on fabric and plywood 1958 $110,00 $147,60 34,18
Nude, Green Leaves and Bust Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1932 $106,50 $142,90 34,18
Portrait of Joseph Roulin Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $58,00 $141,60 144,14
L'Homme qui marche I Alberto Giacometti Bronze 1961 $104,30 $140,00 24,23
L’Homme assis au verre Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1914 $107,50 $139,80 30,05
Irises Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $53,90 $138,80 157,51
Dora Maar au Chat Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1941 $95,20 $138,20 45,17
Eight Elvises Andy Warhol Silkscreen on canvas 1963 $100,00 $135,90 35,90
Young Girl with a Flower Basket Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1905 $115,00 $134,00 16,52
Anna's Light Barnett Newman Acrylic on canvas 1968 $105,70 $132,80 25,64
Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster) Andy Warhol Silkscreen on canvas 1963 $105,40 $132,50 25,71
Untitled Jean-Michel Basquiat Acrylic, spray paint and oilstick on canvas 1982 $110,50 $131,90 19,37
Portrait de l'artiste sans barbe Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $71,50 $128,40 79,58
Meules Claude Monet Oil on canvas 1890 $110,70 $126,70 14,45
Verger avec cyprès Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1888 $117,10 $126,50 8,03
La Montagne Sainte-Victoire vue du bosquet du Château Noir Paul Cézanne Oil on canvas 1904 $100,00 $126,00 26,00
Chariot Alberto Giacometti Bronze 1950 $101,00 $124,90 23,66
Massacre of the Innocents Peter Paul Rubens Oil on canvas 1611 $76,70 $124,80 62,71
Nurse Roy Lichtenstein Oil and acrylic on canvas 1964 $95,40 $117,70 23,38
Triptych, 1976 Francis Bacon Oil and pastel on canvas 1976 $86,30 $117,30 35,92
Les Noces de Pierrette Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1905 $49,30 $116,40 136,11
False Start Jasper Johns Colour lithograph, paper 1959 $80,00 $116,10 45,13
Te Fare Paul Gauguin Oil on canvas 1892 $85,00 $115,50 35,88
A Wheatfield with Cypresses Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $57,00 $115,50 102,63
Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump Jean-Michel Basquiat Oil on canvas 1982 $100,00 $114,50 14,50
Maternitè II Paul Gauguin Oil on burlap 1899$ 105,70 $114,20 8,04
Yo, Picasso Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1901 $47,80 $113,00 136,40
Turquoise Marilyn Andy Warhol Silkscreen on canvas 1964$ 80,00 $112,90 41,13
Birch Forest Gustav Klimt Oil on canvas 1903 $104,50 $112,90 8,04
Femme assise près d'une fenêtre (Marie-Thérèse) Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1932 $103,40 $111,70 8,03
Portrait of Alfonso d'Avalos with a Page Titian Oil on canvas 1533 $70,00 $111,40 59,14
Orange, Red, Yellow Mark Rothko Acrylic on canvas 1961 $86,90 $110,70 27,39
Le Bassin aux Nymphéas Claude Monet Oil on canvas 1919 $80,50 $109,50 36,02
Lady with a Fan Gustav Klimt Oil on canvas 1917-8 $108,40 $108,40 0,00
Chop Suey Edward Hopper Oil on canvas 1929 $91,90 $107,10 16,54
Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier Paul Cézanne Oil on canvas 1894 $60,50 $106,30 75,70
Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) David Hockney Acrylic on canvas 1972 $90,30 $105,20 16,50
Rabbit Jeff Koons Stainless steel 1986 $91,10 $104,00 14,16
Black Fire I Barnett Newman Oil on canvas 1961 $84,20 $104,00 23,52
Merge Pak Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $91,80 $103,56 12,81
White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1950 $72,80 $102,80 41,21
Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $39,70 $102,20 157,43
Buffalo II Robert Rauschenberg Oil and silkscreen ink on canvas 1964 $88,80 $101,60 14,41
Triple Elvis Andy Warhol Silkscreen ink and silver paint on linen 1963 $81,90 $101,30 23,69
Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) Andy Warhol Polymer, silkscreen ink and acrylic on linen 1963 $71,70 $101,20 41,14
No. 10 Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1958 $81,90 $101,10 23,44
In This Case Jean-Michel Basquiat Acrylic and oilstick on canvas 1983 $93,10 $100,50 7,95
Suprematist Composition Kazimir Malevich Oil on canvas 1916 $85,80 $100,00 16,55
Three Studies for a Portrait of John Edwards Francis Bacon Oil on canvas 1984 $80,80 $99,90 23,64
Portrait of a Young Man holding a Roundel Sandro Botticelli Tempera on poplar wood ca. 1480 $92,20 $99,60 8,03
Meule Claude Monet Oil on canvas 1891 $81,40 $99,30 21,99
Nymphéas en fleur Claude Monet Oil on canvas 1914-1917 $84,70 $98,70 16,53
Darmstadt Madonna Hans Holbein Oil on wood 1526 $75,00 98,00 30,67
Laboureur dans un champ Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $81,30 $97,10 19,43
Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus Francis Bacon Oil on canvas 1981 $84,55 $96,80 14,49
Diana and Actaeon Titian Oil on canvas 1556-1559 $70,60 $96,30 36,40
Au Lapin Agile Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1904 $40,70 $96,10 136,12
The Gross Clinic Thomas Eakins Oil on canvas 1875 $68,00 $96,00 41,18
No 1 (Royal Red and Blue) Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1954 $75,10 $95,80 27,56
Acrobate et jeune arlequin Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1905 $38,50 $95,40 147,79
Odalisque couchée aux magnolias Henri Matisse Oil on canvas 1923 $80,80 $94,10 16,46
Femme aux Bras Croisés Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1902 $55,00 $93,50 70,00
Nude Sitting on a Divan Amedeo Modigliani Oil on canvas 1917 $69,00 $92,50 34,06
Police Gazette Willem de Kooning Oil on canvas 1955 $63,50 $92,20 45,20
Untitled Jean-Michel Basquiat Acrylic on canvas 1982 $85,00 $91,80 8,00
Diana and Callisto Titian Oil on canvas 1556-1559 $71,70 $91,40 27,48
No. 7 Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1951 $82,50 $89,10 8,00
Tête Amedeo Modiglian Limestone 1911-1912 $70,70 $87,40 23,62
Untitled (New York City) Cy Twombly House paint and crayon on canvas 1968 $70,50 $87,10 23,55
Ten Views Of Lingbi Rock Wu Bin Ink on paper 1610 $77,00 $87,10 13,12
Femme assise dans un jardin Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1938 $49,50 $87,00 75,76
Portrait of George Dyer Talking Francis Bacon Oil on canvas 1966 $70,20 $86,80 23,65
Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1890 $47,50 $86,60 82,32
Untitled Cy Twombly House paint and crayon on canvas 1970 $69,60 $86,00 23,56
Four Marlons Andy Warhol Acrylic, silkscreen ink, pencil on linen 1966 $69,60 $86,00 23,56
The Empire of Lights René Magritte Oil on canvas and gouache on paper 1961 $79,45 $85,80 7,99
Eagle Standing on Pine Tree Qi Baishi Ink on paper 1946 $65,50 $85,20 30,08
Men in Her Life Andy Warhol Silkscreen on canvas 1962 $63,40 $85,00 34,07
Contraste de formes Fernand Léger Oil on burlap 1903 $70,10 $83,60 19,26
La Gommeuse Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1901 $67,45 $83,30 23,50
Buste de femme (Femme à la résille) Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1938 $67,40 $83,20 23,44
Portrait of a Halberdier Pontormo Oil and tempera on canvas 1537 $35,20 $83,10 136,08
La jeune fille sophistiquée (Portrait de Nancy Cunard) Constantin Brâncuși Polished brass 1928-1932 $71,00 $82,70 16,48
Untitled Mark Rothko Oil on canvas 1952 $66,20 $81,90 23,72
L’Allée des Alyscamps Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1888 $66,30 $81,90 23,53
Untitled XXV Willem de Kooning Oil on canvas 1977 $66,30 $80,90 22,02
Zhichuan Resettlement Wang Meng Wash on paper 1350 $62,10 $80,80 30,11
Guennol Lioness Unknown Limestone ca. 3000 v. Chr. $57,20 $80,70 41,08
Femme au béret et à la robe quadrillée (Marie-Thérèse Walter) Pablo Picasso Oil on canvas 1937 $69,20 $80,60 16,47
Spring Édouard Manet Oil on canvas 1881 $65,10 $80,50 23,66
Woman as Landscape Willem de Kooning Oil and charcoal on canvas 1955 $68,90 $80,30 16,55
1949-A-No. 1 Clyfford Still Oil on canvas 1949 $61,70 $80,20 29,98
Tête Amedeo Modigliani Limestone 1910-1912 $59,50 $79,80 34,12
Everydays: the First 5000 Days Beeple Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $69,30 $78,40 13,13
Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès Vincent van Gogh Oil on canvas 1889 $71,40 $77,10 7,98
Le Bassin Aux Nymphéas Claude Monet Oil on canvas 1917-1919 $70,35 $76,00 8,03
Juin-Octobre 1985 Zao Wou-Ki Oil on canvas 1985 $65,23 $76,00 16,51
Balloon Dog (Orange) Jeff Koons Glazed porcelain 1994-2000 $58,40 $73,00 25,00
La muse endormie Constantin Brâncuși Bronze 1913 $57,30 $68,40 19,37
Nu de dos, 4 état (Back IV) Henri Matisse Bronze 1958 $48,80 $65,50 34,22
Grand tête mince (Grand tête de Diego) Alberto Giacometti Bronze 1955 $50,00 $62,80 25,60
The Journey of Humanity Sacha Jafri Oil on canvas 2020 $62,00 $62,00 0,00
Madame LR (Portrait de Mme LR) Constantin Brâncuși Wood 1914-1917 $37,60 $51,30 36,44
Tête de femme (Dora Maar) Pablo Picasso Bronze 1941 $29,10 $46,40 59,45
Tulips Jeff Koons Stainless steel 1995-2004 $33,70 $43,00 27,60
Jim Beam J.b. Turner Train Jeff Koons Stainless steel and bourbon 1986 $33,80 $41,80 23,67
Bird in Space Constantin Brâncuși Marble 1922-1923 $27,50 $41,20 49,82
Domplatz, Mailand Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1968 $37,10 $41,11 10,81
Artemis and the Stag Unbekannt Bronze ca. 100 v. Chr. - 100 n. Chr. $28,60 $40,40 41,26
Benefits Supervisor Sleeping Lucian Freud Oil on canvas 1995 $33,60 $40,03 19,14
Reclining Figure: Festival Henry Moore Bronze 1951 $30,10 $38,40 27,57
Winged Genius Unbekannt Stone panel ca. 883-859 v. Chr. $31,00 $38,30 23,55
Abstraktes Bild (809-4) Gerhard Richter Oil on canvas 1994 $34,20 $38,16 11,58
Grande Femme Debout II Alberto Giacometti Bronze 1961 $27,50 $37,40 36,00
Spider Louise Bourgeois Bronze and silver nitrate 1996 $32,10 $36,70 14,33
Popeye Jeff Koons Stainless steel 2011 $28,20 $34,90 23,76
Human One Beeple Digital painting (NFT) 2021 $28,99 $32,80 13,14
Hanging Heart (Magenta/Gold) Jeff Koons Stainless steel sculpture 1994 $23,60 $28,98 22,80
Love is in the Bin Banksy Spray Paint and acrylic, canvas on cardboard 2018 $23,67 $26,70 12,80
Lullaby Spring Damien Hirst Stainless steel and glass 2002 $19,30 $23,91 23,89
Platz (Square) Neo Rauch Oil on canvas 2000 $1,80 $2,32 28,89
Girl with Balloon Banksy Spray Paint and acrylic, canvas on cardboard 2006 $1,33 $1,62 21,80

It appears that you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer as your web browser to access our site.

For practical and security reasons, we recommend that you use a current web browser such as Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, or Edge. Internet Explorer does not always display the complete content of our website and does not offer all the necessary functions.